Garrison wrote:Kovalainen accidentally engaged the Pit Lane Speed Limiter while tearing off his tear-off visor down the Start/Finish Straight...

For me that's not the real reason.

On the onboard video it is very clear that he was NOT tearing off his tear-off visor : he was just punching the air with his right hand because he was so happy he had overtake Alonso. This is the REAL reason why he did the mistake with the speed limiter. The tear-off visor is just a false excuse.

Garrison wrote:Kovalainen accidentally engaged the Pit Lane Speed Limiter while tearing off his tear-off visor down the Start/Finish Straight...

For me that's not the real reason.

On the onboard video it is very clear that he was NOT tearing off his tear-off visor : he was just punching the air with his right hand because he was so happy he had overtake Alonso. This is the REAL reason why he did the mistake with the speed limiter. The tear-off visor is just a false excuse.

Actually, its not clear at all, Having seen the footage, its just as plausible that he was tearing off his visor.

I think Kimi came out of the start as the 800lb Gorilla in the room, and pounded a few people right out at the start. And then Heikki out-iced him and made Kimi flinch, and then he made some big mistakes.

Good job for Hammy. It is good to see the rabbit outrun the greyhounds every once and a while!

I think we will see changes throughout the year in drivers coping without TC. Really looking forward to first wet race. Hopefully we will see Button near the front, if he can remember how to drive smoothly like he did in TKM!

"If Alonso is a true winner then he must turn Renault around this season. it'll prove why he is #1. Unless his rookie teamate Piquet destroys him in a big upset. Which will then be quite embarassing."

I don't think Alonso has too much to worry about from Nelsinho this year judging by his performance thus far, I don't think we are going to see another Hamilton rookie season for awhile! Although I wouldn't mind seeing Alonso get passed by his new teammate a few times.

The safety car’s main function, as its name implies, is to assist in maintaining safe track conditions throughout the Grand Prix weekend. It is driven by an experienced circuit driver and carries an FIA observer who is in permanent radio contact with race control.

If an accident or incident occurs that is not severe enough to warrant suspending the race, but which cannot be dealt with under yellow flags, then the safety car will be called on to the circuit to slow the cars down.

It will come on to the circuit with its orange lights on and all drivers must form a queue behind it with no overtaking allowed. The safety car will signal backmarkers to pass by using its green light until the race leader is immediately behind it, followed by the rest of the field in race order. Any lapped car between cars running on the lead lap must pass those cars and the safety car before proceeding slowly around the track to take up their correct position at the back of the pack. No car is permitted to enter the pits until all cars are lined up behind the safety car in race order.

If the incident that brought out the safety car has blocked the pit straight, the clerk of the course may direct the safety car to lead the field through the pit lane. Cars are free to stop at their pit garage should this happen.

When the safety car is ready to leave the circuit it extinguishes its orange lights, indicating to the drivers that it will peel off into the pits at the end of the current lap. The drivers then continue in formation until they cross the start-finish line where green lights will indicate that they are free to race again.

In exceptional circumstances, such as in extremely poor weather, a race may begin behind the safety car, which will put its orange lights on at least a minute before the start to indicate this. When those lights switch to green the safety car will lead the field around the circuit in grid order.

Overtaking on this first lap is not allowed, unless a car has a problem. The safety car will peel into the pits at the end of the lap and drivers are free to race once they have crossed the line to commence the next lap.